Monday, 9 December 2013

Welcome to the most celebrated patisserie competition in Paris – ready, steady, bake!Watching snowflakes settle on the Eiffel Tower, Rachel Smithson’s cosy English village feels very far way – as, thankfully, does her commitment-phobic ex, probably already kissing someone else under the mistletoe. But Rachel hasn’t come to Paris to mope she’s come to bake. Hard. Because the search for Paris’s next patisserie apprentice is about to begin! And super-chef judge Henri Salernes is an infamously tough cookie. But Rachel isn’t about to let her confidence (or pastry) crumble. She’s got one week, mounds of melt-in-the-mouth macaroons and towers of perfect profiteroles to prove that she really is a star baker.As well as clouds of flour, and wafts of chocolate and cinnamon, there’s definitely a touch of Christmas magic in the air… Rachel hasn’t come to Paris looking for a fairy-tale romance, but the city of love might gift-wrap her one anyway…

When I saw that The Parisian Christmas Bake Off was available to download on NetGalley I just had to request a copy as I've heard really good things about this novella. Rachel loves her job as a teacher but her friends and family know that her real passion is for baking, something she's not really done since the death of her mum as it was their shared interest. So she's stunned when her colleagues surprise her with an entry into a prestigious competition in Paris to become an apprentice for chef Henri Salernes. Initially reluctant to even considering going she soon finds herself setting off for the challenge but the week in Paris turns out to be so much more than she could ever have expected. What follows is a hilarious tale of jealousy and sabotage from fellow contestants, mouthwatering creations, and, of course, a handsome man or two to create a little bit of light relief from the competition...It is highly recommended that you read this with a snack or two at hand as the many foodie mentions throughout will definitely have you craving for a sweet treat yourself! After thoroughly enjoying this debut novella I'll definitely be keeping my eye out for more novels from Jenny Oliver in the future. I received a copy of this eBook from the publisher via NetGalley.